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“Could Africa’s skies finally be wide open?” That was the title of an article I wrote with great optimism. I talked about how Africa could be transformed by low-cost aviation. “Cheap, safe flights may help realize the potential of a continent torn apart by colonialism and corruption,” I wrote.
The occasion was the launch of Stelios’ “son of easyJet” – an airline based in Tanzania called Fastjet. But that was 12 years ago, and the brand has had almost no impact since then.
When Stelios created a major European airline, easyJet, he had the right idea to take advantage of the new freedom of airlines to fly wherever they want in Europe.
What Africa needs as a continent is to do the same and democratize flying. With the dismal ground infrastructure, travelers are hungry for cheap air tickets.
However, perhaps a new, made-for-Africa airline like Fastjet is not the best answer. I detect new signs of hope from the incursions of European economic operators.
Now, at least one African nation has embraced low-cost aviation to the extent that it has allowed Ryanair to build a domestic business.
The visionary country: Morocco. Looking online now for a flight 24 hours ahead, I could fly from Tangier on an 80 minute express flight to Marrakech for £36. That’s pretty good for a 300 mile flight with a late booking.
To be fair, neighboring Algeria has equally good deals on the slightly shorter connection between its two main cities, Algiers and Oran, on Air Algerie. But domestic flights to Egypt are usually three times more expensive.
Once you get to southern Africa, the fares become astronomical. Even Fastjet wants £155 for a short notice, 340 mile hop between Harare and Victoria Falls. Mind you, anyone who has driven this slow and dangerous road route and can afford the flight will take it.
But in a continent with a long history of governments stifling competition for their own airlines, how does an Irish carrier get permission to launch a domestic operation in competition with state-owned Royal Air Maroc?
“We have a long history here in Morocco,” says Eddie Wilson, managing director of the airline’s main operating unit, Ryanair DAC.
The airline first arrived in 2006, initially only with inbound flights from Europe. Tangier, in the north of the country, is now its fourth base. Most of the business involves flights to and from Europe.
But to use its Boeings effectively, Ryanair needed to add some short-haul sectors – like that hop down to Marrakesh. And the government in Rabat was prepared to listen to an airline that has delivered millions of tourists to Morocco – as well as connecting the diaspora across Europe to its homeland in North Africa.
It all boils down to open skies, says Eddie Wilson. The freedom to fly without restrictions is rare in Africa.
When Tunisia reopened to tourism after the Arab Spring, officials sought my advice on how best to bring business to their beautiful, friendly and exciting nation.
Open your skies to Europe’s airlines, I recommended, and you’ll see the numbers rise dramatically.
My proposal was politely declined. “We have to take care of Tunisair,” they said. This has been the mindset of politicians across Africa for far too long.
Eddie Wilson says precious few nations outside of Europe enjoy the freedom to fly with any airline they think can compete.
“If we’re going to expand elsewhere in Africa, we have to have open skies,” he insists.
The Ryanair boss cites Jordan, Israel and Ukraine as countries whose skies are open. The last two of these are on the Foreign Office’s ban list due to ongoing conflicts.
Other countries, listen up. This is an opportunity for transformation.
Listen to my interview with Ryanair’s Eddie Wilson on the Daily Travel Podcast